The Doctor removed his hat and used it to shield the summer sun from his eyes. He pointed.
"About half a mile from our destination," he told her, smiling.
"And that would be?"
"Halesworth Airforce Base," he told her. So saying he set off, his cream frock coat flapping around his knees in the slight breeze.
"You didn't tell me why we're in wartime Britain," she complained, dashing to catch up with him.
He grinned his disarming grin at her. "We're here to fulfil an ambition of mine and to see some of your cultural heritage. Apart from that, it's a surprise."
Peri sighed. "So long as there's a good reason for this," she said, indicating her clothing, which was contemporary with the mid 1940's.
They continued in silence towards the airbase.
***
As the music finished and the Doctor and Peri, along with the rest of the crowd, applauded, she asked the question that had been on her mind since earlier.
"How did you pull that trick with the guard on the gate?"
The Doctor smiled. "That was easy. I'm a civilian scientific advisor attached to the War Office and you're my secretary."
"Since when?"
"Since I ran up some false documents in the TARDIS while you were getting changed."
She nodded. "Smart," she commented.
The Doctor saw an opportunity. "I'll be back in a minute," he said, heading for the stage.
Peri shook her head. "Surely he wouldn't," she murmured.
***
The Doctor approached the band leader with a little nervousness. I shouldn't be nervous, he thought. I'm a Time Lord. I've faced down Daleks and Cybermen before now. But even a Time Lord can be nervous when faced with one of his hero's.
"Excuse me, could I have your autograph? It's for my young friend," he said, indicating Peri. "She's a little shy."
"Sure, son," the man said. "Did you enjoy the show?"
"Oh, yes," the Doctor replied. "In The Mood has always been a great favourite of mine."
"Good." He handed back the signed book. "Glad we were able to entertain."
The Doctor looked like he was about to say something, but instead just smiled, nodded and left.
***
As The Doctor and Peri left the hanger she was scolding him mildly.
"I can't believe you asked Glenn Miller for his autograph," she exclaimed.
"I've always liked his music," the Doctor replied defensively.
"Unbelieveable. A Time Lord with an autograph book. Who else is in there?"
The Doctor frowned. "You'd just laugh."
"No, I wouldn't. Honest."
The Doctor sighed. "Louis Armstrong, Marie Curie, Samuel Johnson and Bernard Quatermass."
"Wow! That's quite a collection. Who was that last one again?"
Before The Doctor could reply a whistling sound came from the clear blue sky. The Doctor looked up to see an object blazing across the sky towards them.
"Down, Peri!" he cried, pushing her to the ground as a terrific explosion boomed over them.
***
"Peri, are you alright?"
Peri stirred, her head ringing, feeling like every bone in her body was screeching in agony. She lifted her head, feeling as if it were about to explode.
The Doctor was standing over her, concern creasing his boyish face.
"What hit me?" she asked.
"Backblast from that landing we saw," he explained.
"Felt like half a ton of British countryside. What was it that came down?"
The Doctor was some yards away, looking into a smoking crater. Peri, still a little unsteady on her feet, joined him.
"Is it a German bomb?" she inquired, peering through the smoke.
The Doctor shook his head. "No, it's something more sinister, I'm afraid."
By this time more people from the airbase had arrived. They crowded round the Doctor and Peri.
"What's happening?" "Is it a raid?" "Is that a bomb?" The questions came thick and fast.
The Doctor found someone in authority among the crowd.
"Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is my, er, secretary Peri. We're from the War Office." He showed the man his false papers.
"Colonel Napier. I'm in charge here. What's the situation?"
"Well, it's not a bomb. I believe it's part of an experimental German plane. I'd like the area cordoned off."
"Sure, Doctor. Walsh! Get these people back and set up a cordon!"
A Sergeant saluted and moved quickly to carry out his orders. Within five minutes the area around the crater was taped off and just the Doctor, Peri and Napier remained.
"Now what?" asked the Colonel.
"Well, we should wait until it cools. Then I need somewhere to work while I determine just what it is."
"I thought you said it was part of a plane?"
"That's what I think. I could be wrong."
Napier nodded. "I'll organise some space in a hanger." The Doctor thanked him and he left.
"Why didn't you tell him what it was?" asked Peri.
"Don't forget, Peri, this is 1944. They're not ready for alien invasions just yet."
"So it's alien then?"
"Oh, yes, it's definitely not from this world."
***
Some hours later the Doctor was examining the object in a nearby hanger. Peri was watching dubiously.
"Well, Doctor?" she asked as he straightened from his task.
"It's some sort of artificial satellite. Looks like it could be part of a network. It seems to have malfunctioned, causing it to crash."
"Well, they do crash from time to time."
"Not in 1944 Peri," the Doctor told her.
"Sorry, I forgot."
At that moment someone cleared their throat behind them. The Doctor and Peri turned as one.
A man was standing behind them. He was wearing an army uniform that denoted that he was a Colonel. The Doctor found his bearing and face, especially the moustache, vaguely familiar.
"Hello," said the man. "Colonel Napier called me in from the War Office. I'm Colonel Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart."
The Doctor's mouth was hanging open for some reason, so Peri stepped forward to make the introductions.
"Hi, I'm Perpugilliam Brown and this is the Doctor."
The Doctor had recovered his wits enough to step forward himself. He shook the newcomers hand vigorously.
"Very pleased to meet you," he said. Peri couldn't be sure, as she hadn't known him long, but there was a strange glint in the Doctor's eye.
"How can we help?" Peri asked the newcomer.
"Oh, I'm here to find out who is impersonating War Office personel."
"Ah," the Doctor exclaimed. "I can explain."
Lethbridge-Stewart smiled. "I hope so. It would be such a shame for a lovely young lady like this to go to prison."
"How did you know?" Peri asked, blushing at the compliment.
"Colonel Napier informed the War Office that you had been delayed investigating a crash. We could find no trace of you on our files, so I was sent to investigate the investigators."
"Does Napier know?" the Doctor inquired.
"No. He thinks I'm here to assist you."
The Doctor nodded. He put his hands into the pockets of his stripped trousers.
"So," said Lethbridge-Stewart, "what are you doing here?"
"Would you believe, saving the planet?"
The Colonel raised his eyebrow, a gesture that reminded the Doctor all too much of his son.
The Doctor sighed. "I'm a Time Lord from another world, Peri is from the 1980's and this," he indicated the crashed craft, "is a craft from beyond this Earth."
The eyebrow remained raised.
"You don't believe me?" the Doctor concluded.
"No, I'm afraid I don't. Can you blame me?"
"Not really. It must sound ridiculous. But, if you give me the chance, I can prove it to you."
"I'm listening."
The Doctor grasped Peri's arm. "Hey!" she exclaimed but the Doctor ignored her and pushed the sleeve of her dress up her arm.
"Take a look at this." He showed the Colonel the digital watch on Peri's wrist. "This is the product of future technology. A watch that does not have hands, but digits. And there's this."
So saying, he removed the watch and prised open the back. "No clockwork, just a battery. A battery smaller than your little fingernail. And it keeps perfect time." The Doctor compared Peri's watch to the Colonel's. The time was identical.
The Colonel studied the watch for a couple of minutes. Finally, he looked up at the Doctor.
"Let's say I believe you. You said you were trying to save the planet. From what? The Germans?"
"If only it were that simple. No, this craft came from a network of artificial satellites orbiting the Earth."
"For what purpose?"
The Doctor looked grim. "I believe it's for the entertainment of some alien species. Colonel, somebody is enjoying your war!"
"But that's..." began Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, then faltered, lost for words.
"Monsterous?" supplied the Doctor. "Obscene? I quite agree. But it's worse than that." He pointed to a component inside the craft. "This is a two-way transmitter. It sends information back to it's source, but can also be used to beam signals to the ground."
"Signals? What sort of signals?"
"Oh, rage, hatred, murderous thoughts. That sort of thing. These satellites could well have been affecting people's minds."
"Then we've got to destroy them!" the Colonel declared. "I'll get onto the War Office right away."
"And do what?" the Doctor inquired. "These things are in geo-stationary orbit around the Earth. You don't have the technology to reach them."
"Do you?"
The Doctor grinned. "Let's just say I have the means to give the audience a nasty headache. Now, I'd like to know who they are first, so I'm off back to the TARDIS to try and get a fix on where those signals are going. Colonel, Peri, please stay here and look after that." He pointed to the crashed satellite.
Peri smiled. "Okay, Doctor. Good Luck."
"Thanks. I won't be long." So saying he left the hanger.
"So," said Peri, looking for something to talk about. "Are you married Colonel?" He nodded. "Any kids?"
***
The TARDIS materialised silently in a small crater on the Moon. A figure emerged wearing a cream coloured frock coat, striped trousers and a space helmet. The Doctor placed a device in the crater, returned to the TARDIS and left.
***
The Doctor's craft reappeared in space near the asteroid belt. It hung there for a few minutes while the Doctor compared the readings from the console and the monitoring device he had left on the Moon. He didn't like what he saw. He quickly returned to the Moon, retrieved the monitor and headed back for Earth.
***
"...then I jumped overboard, intending to swim for shore. I got into difficulties and Turlough rescued me."
"And Turlough is?"
"He was the Doctor's travelling companion, but he got the chance to go home." The end of Peri's story coincided with the noisy arrival of the TARDIS. The Colonel looked startled.
"Don't worry," said Peri. "It's just The Doctor showing off."
On cue the Time Lord bounded out of the TARDIS. He was carrying his toolkit.
"Has Peri been looking after you Colonel?" he inquired, rummaging inside for a particular tool.
"She's been charming company," Lethbridge-Stewart replied.
"Good, good," the Doctor muttered, concentrating on probing the interior of the satellite.
"Did you find them?" Peri asked.
"Find who?" the Doctor's distracted voice answered.
"The people who built the satellite," Peri elaborated.
The Doctor straightened, frowning. "Oh, yes, I found them alright."
"And?"
"It's worse than I thought. The signals are being beamed into an area of space inhabited by a very nasty species. The Gods of Ragnarok!"
"Never heard of them," Peri commented.
"I didn't expect you would have," the Doctor replied. "They're a very old species, very powerful in their time. They held many worlds in an iron grip. But, as with all conquerors, eventually the conquered rebelled. The Gods were overthrown and exiled."
"So how come they're a problem now?" asked Peri.
"Because they still have some powers in this dimension. They crave entertainment, usually of the most violent sort. They now seek that entertainment wherever they can get it."
"Which is Earth at the moment," the Colonel reminded them. "Hadn't you better get on with this headache inducer?"
"You're right of course, Colonel," the Doctor told him. "Shouldn't take much longer."
Ten minutes later the Doctor turned from the satellite, beaming. "Well, that's finished. Now, I wonder if we could trouble that nice Major Miller for a little of his time?"
"Glenn Miller?" the Colonel inquired.
"That's right," Peri chipped in. "That's why we came here. The Doctor wanted his autograph."
The Colonel smiled at this, then his face dropped again.
"Major Miller and his band have left the base," he told the Doctor. "They've gone on to their next venue."
The Doctor sighed. "Then you had better find out where that is. And radio ahead to keep them there, if possible."
An couple of hours later an aircraft carrying the Doctor, Peri, Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart and the modified satellite touched down at Boxted airfield. A man was waiting for the plane.
"Hello again, Doctor," said Glenn Miller. "You wanted to see me?"
The Doctor shook the offered hand. "That's right. I'm hoping you can help me with an experiment."
"Anything for the War Office."
"This is my friend Peri, and my, er, colleague Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart."
Miller shook the Colonel's hand, then kissed the back of Peri's. She blushed slightly.
"It's always nice to meet a fan," Miller said to her. Peri shot the Doctor a filthy look when she realised what he meant.
"Do you have your trombone handy?" the Doctor asked, ignoring Peri's glare.
"It's in the back of the jeep," Miller replied, indicating the vehicle parked nearby.
"Excellent," the Doctor declared, picking up the satellite and walking over to the jeep, where he deposited it on the tail gate.
The band leader had retrieved his instrument. "Is this request time?" he asked, smiling.
The Doctor nodded. "In a way. Could you play a tune into here?" He indicated a section of the craft.
Miller looked dubious, but nodded. "Anything in particular?"
The Doctor thought for a moment. "How about 'American Patrol'? Peri?"
She shrugged. "Fine by me. Colonel?"
"I've always liked 'Little Brown Jug'."
"Why not both?" The Doctor decided. Miller nodded again and started to play.
As he finished American Patrol, the Doctor consulted a hand held device.
"Is it working?" asked Peri.
"Yes. The music is being amplified by my modifications and beamed back thousands of times louder at the other end. Should blast the Gods off their thrones."
As the strains of Little Brown Jug came to an end the satellite started to glow red.
"I think we should all move away," the Doctor advised. Everybody agreed, running from the jeep as the craft exploded.
"Was that supposed to happen?" asked the Colonel.
"Yes," the Doctor replied. "It should have started a chain reaction. Look!"
He pointed into the darkening sky, where a number of tiny flashes could be seen.
"The other satellites," Peri exclaimed.
"All destroyed," the Doctor confirmed. He shook Miller's hand again. "You've done a great service for your world."
"Thank you," replied the bemused band leader. "Would you mind explaining how?"
"Of course. The Colonel here will fill you in."
Now it was Lethbridge-Stewart's turn to look bemused. "Thank you, Doctor!"
As the Colonel and Miller talked, the Doctor and Peri slipped away to the waiting plane, which had the TARDIS stored in it's hold.
"Why didn't you tell him?" asked Peri, indicating Miller.
"Because history must take it's course, Peri," he replied. He didn't tell her how close he had come to warning the band leader of his fate when they had first met.
On August 6th 1944, the American Band of the Allied Expeditionary Force, under the leadership of Major Miller, played a concert at Halesworth airfield, which was under the command of Colonel Ezekiel W. Napier. Later that same day they played at Boxted airfield.
The band flew out of England, bound for Paris on December 12th 1944. Their leader stayed behind for a couple of days.
On 15th December 1944, Major Alton Glenn Miller boarded a UC-64-A Norseman aircraft to fly to Paris to join the band. Miller, the plane, it's crew and other passengers were never seen again.
This story is respectfully dedicated to Major Alton Glenn Miller of the American Band of the Allied Expeditionary Force.
